News release

Cold Lake RCMP investigate fatal motor vehicle collision involving prolific offender

January 15, 2026 - MD of Bonnyville, Alberta
From: Alberta RCMP

Content

MD of Bonnyville, Alta. – On Jan. 13, 2026, just after 10 p.m., Cold Lake RCMP responded to a serious motor vehicle collision on Highway 897 at the Beaver River Bridge. Upon arrival, emergency responders treated the injured occupants of a mini van. A 5-year-old girl in the van was deceased, and the other occupants, a 10-month-old boy, their 27-year-old mom and a 30-year-old man were taken to hospital with various injuries. 

Police determined the other vehicle involved, a Ford F350, was stolen 3 days earlier in Lashburn Sask. Following the collision, a suspect involved stole a good Samaritans vehicle who stopped to offer assistance.

As details about this serious collision emerged, the Alberta RCMP Real Times Operation Centre began deploying a significant number of resources to both investigate the fatal collision as well as locate the suspects.  This included deploying the Alberta Traffic Service Members, the Criminal Collision Investigative Team and a Collision Analyst to the Collision. Officers from Cold Lake Detachment and their General Investigative Section (GIS), Bonnyville Detachment, Elk Point Detachment, Police Dog Services, Eastern Alberta District (EAD) Crime Reduction Unit and GIS Units were deployed to locate the suspects. 

At approximately 11 p.m., officers were successful in locating the good Samaritans’ stolen vehicle, however it was abandoned. Officers began making patrols which included targeted patrols of known prolific offenders’ residences. 

On Jan. 14, 2026, at approximately 1 a.m., officers located a stolen vehicle with a shotgun in plain view parked in front of one of these prolific offenders’ property. Subsequent investigation has positively linked at least one offender in that residence to the original accident scene. Additional stolen items have been located and there is a parallel investigation and charges being laid on occupants of that property not associated to the collision. 

A 34-year-old resident of Bonnyville, has been charged with;

• Fail to stop at accident scene causing death;
• Fail to stop at accident scene causing bodily harm (x2);
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000;
• Theft of a motor vehicle;
• Failure to comply with probation order;
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm;
• Possession of a firearm contrary to order (x4).

The individual has been taken before a Justice of the Peace and remanded into custody with their next court date set for today, Jan 15, 2026, at the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Paul. 

At the time of this incident, the individual was on bail  for breaching a probation order.

“The initial efforts of our officers have not only led to the charges you see today but also produced a significant amount of evidence to support the investigation, the death of a child, “ says Superintendent Tony Hanson, Assistant District Officer, EAD, “The coordinated response starting with our Real Time Operations Centre utilizing our support units and detachments was crucial in the immediate apprehension of this suspect.” 

Contacts